Crib



C. E. WEBB CMB Filed May 18. 1945 Aug. 24, 194s.

Patented Aug. 24, 1948 j omcl Charles E. Webb, New London, Wis., assignor to Edison Wood Products,

Incorporated, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 1S, 1945, Serial No. 594,384

My invention relates to childrens cribs and more particularly to novel means for supporting the mattress frames of such cribs.

It is an object of my invention to provide an adjustable support mechanism for the mattress frame of a crib which is arranged so that it can be operated with little effort and by simple manipulations of the hand to Iadjust the mattress frame to different elevations and/or inclinations.`

It is `another object to provide a support mechanism which is safe and not likely to cause injury to a child in the crib, and it is a further object to provide a novel means for safeguarding such mechanism from the child. n

It is a further object to provide a support for a mattress frame which permits different corners of the frame to be adjusted individually' to different elevations.

Other objects are to provide such a support mechanism in novel association With a guide for a movab-le side panel of the crib and tol provide such a support mechanism whichis economical to manufacture.

Other and allied objects and features of my invention will more fully appear from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description, reference is had to the ac companying drawings, of which: l

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of the crib in which my invention is incorporated, taken on the line l--l of Figure 2; f

Figure 2 is a fractional elevational View `of a` corner portion of the cribto larger scale, showing the support mechanism at that corner of the crib for the mattress frame, according t my invention; l

Figure 3 is a fractional horizontal section taken*` on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fractional vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; and 1 Figure 5 is a fractional vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The frame structure of the present cribcomprises two end sections I and two side panels 2. l Typically, the end sections have corner posts la and the side panels have top and bottom horizontal rails 2a. The end sections and side panels are joined at the corners of the crib by vertical rods 3 spaced from the inner sides of the end sections and mounted on the corner posts thereof. The rods have for example their top portions bent over and secured by-union couplings 4 to studs (not shown) in the end sections and are held to the posts at the bottom by brackets 5'. The end portions of the rails 2a are apertured 5 Claims. (Cl. 5-11) and embrace thev rods slidably so that the side panels may be raised and lowered. Typically, there are provided latches for holding the side panels in raised position but such latches need not be shown in the present case. To prevent mechanical shock when the side panels are dropped from a raised position, therel are provided compression springs 6 on the rods 3 above the brackets 5 against which the side panels may im-pinge.

The crib structure carries a mattress frame 1 comprising end and vside angle irons 8 and 9 joined by rivets l0 at the ends. Between these angle irons there is a screen Il held taut by tension springs Ila. This mattress frame is supported adjustably--at the corners by adjustable supporting mechanisms l2. My invention is concerned especially with these mechanisms wherefore the mechanisms are herein neXt described in detail.

I provide a separate and'independent adjustable supporting mechanism l2 at each corner of the crib. Since these mechanisms are identical a disclosure of kone will suflice for all. Each of these mechanisms is mounted on an end section l :between the guide rod 3 and corner post la. Each mechanism comprises a vertical track I3 spaced from the corner post at the ends by spacers l 4 and held to the post by screws l5. The tracks are metal bars provided with catches I6 at intervals therealong. The catches may be any means having horizontal surfaces exposed at the top and are formed simply by punching lugs lGa from the central portions of the tracks at intervals, the lugs being at the side of the tracks adjacent the corner posts as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. Mounted on this track is a slide member I1. This slide member lies adjacent the side of the track opposite the corner post (herein referred to as the inner side of the track) and has two sets of side lugs I8 which embrace the outer side of the track to retain the slide member thereto. Between these lugs I3 there is a set of inwardly-turned lugs I9 between which there is a latch pawl 2li. This pawl has a pair of ears 2l pivoted :by a crosspin 22 to the lugs I9 as shown in Figure 5. The lower leg 20a of this pawl passes through an opening 23 in the slide member and is urged against the track I3 under pressure of a torsional spring 24 provided on the pin 22. Upon raising the slide member the pawl engages automatically the catches IE in succession and latches the slide member at each catch against downward movement. For releasing the pawl to permit the slide member to be lowered, the pawl has a ton portion forming a ngerpiece 20h.

The slide member has at its lower end two inwardly-turned lugs 25 to which is pivoted a hanger 26. This hanger is in the form of a crank, having an inner arm depending below the slide member which engages a `slot 21 in the side angle iron s of the mattress frame. This slot is open at the bottom to permit the frame to be readily attached to and detached from the hanger. Preferably the slot is inclined downwardly and in- Wardly, and is spaced slightly inwardly from the support mechanism I2 as indicated in Figure 2. To prevent lateral disengagement of the mattress frame from the hanger the latter is provided with a head 26a at the end thereof.

Directly above the iingerpiece Zlib of the pawl there is a horizontal lug 28 on the slide member which bridges the space between the track I3 and rod 3 and embraces the rod. This lug 28 rigidies the intermediate portion of the rod 3 and serves as a ngerpiece for raising and lowering the slide member. it having preferably a side tab 28a for this latter purpose as shown in-.Figures 1 and 3. Additionally, this lug serves as a guard as is herein next explained.

It is important that crib mechanisms having moving parts shall not project into the crib or be accessible from the inside of the crib so that a child may not injure himself thereon. These desired objectives are accomplished by placing the adjusting mechanism I2 between the rod 3 and end section I and providing the mechanism with the lug 28 at the top thereof. In so doing, the rod 3 serves as a guard along the side of the mechanism and the lug 28 as a guardv across the top of the mechanism to prevent the .child from having access thereto.

A further feature of the vpresent supporting mechanism for a mattress frame is that it permits easy and individual adjustment of the four corners of the frame independently of `each other. This is advantageous in' that it enables a frail person to adjust the frame without difficulty. For instance, to 'ad-inst a corner of the frame to higher position on-e need only take hold of the tab 28a, and raise it toan appropriate level, for the pawl 20 will automatically engage the next higher catch I5 and there latch the frame against lowering. To lower the frame one grips the tab 28a between the thumb and` foreiinger, placing the forel-Inger in the space between the rod 3 and the fingerpiece 20h of the pawl. Thu-s, in one operation of the hand, one may release the pawl and lower the frame to the desired position. In no case though can the mattress frame be let drop because the head of the bottom screw I5 forms a stop `which prevents the slide member from dropping oi the track I3.

While I have herein illustrated an individual support mechanism at each of the four corners of the crib to permit the mattress frame to be adjusted to different elevations and inclinations, it will be understood that I may provide only two of such mechanisms at one end of the crib in cases where it is desired only to adjust the inclination of the frame.

The embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is intended to be illustrative and not limitative of my invention as the same is su-bject to changes and modications without departure from the scope thereof, which I endeavor to express according to the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a crib comprising end sections, vertical tively; and latch pawls mounted on said slide members and spring-biased to engage said catches for holding the respective corner portions of said mattress frame at different elevations, said latch pawls being releasable independently of one another to permit individual adjustment of the four corners of said mattress frame.

2. In ar crib comprising end sections, vertical guide members supported by said end sections in spaced relation thereto, a vertically-movable side panel slidably mounted on said guide members and a mattress frame: an adjustable support for said mattress frame comprising vertical tracks at the corne-rs of said crib between said guide members and the respective end sections; a series of catches provided at intervals along said tracks; slide members secured to said tracks and movable therealong; means for fastening said slide members to respective corner portions of said mattress frame; and individual latch pawls for said slide members located between said tracks and adjacent guide members, said latch pawls being engageable selectively with said catches for holding the respective corner portions of said mattress frame at different elevations.

3. An adjustable support for a corner of a mattress frame ofv a crib having end sections, comprising a vertical trackV secured to one of said end` sections and located at a corner of the crib, said track having catches spaced at intervals therealong; a slide member secured to said track'and movable therealong, said slide member having a horizontal iingerpiece serving as a means for raising and lowering the member along said track; means for attaching adjacent corner portions of said mattress frame to said slide member; and a latch pawl pivoted to said slide member for engaging said catches and latching the slidel member against downward movement from positions thereof at different elevations, said latch pawl being spring-biased into engaging position and having a ngerpiece adjacent said first-mentioned ngerpiece for manually releasing the pawl.

4. In a crib including an end section, a vertical guide member for a movable side panel secured to said end section, and a mattress frame: an adjustable supporting mechanism for a corner of the mattress frame comprising a vertical track adjacent said guide member and secured to said end section, said track having catches spaced tl-*lerealong;` `a slide member secured to said track and movable therealong, said slide member having a turned-over horizontal portion apertured toembrace said guide member and rigidity the latter, said horizontal portion being adapted to serve as la ngerpiece for moving the slide member Aalong said track; means for attaching said mattressirame to said slide member; and a pawl associated' with said slide member and coactive with said catches for latchin-g the slide member at different positions, said pawl lying adjacent to track adjacent said guide member and secured to 10 Number said end section, said track having catches spaced therealong; a slide member secured to said track and movable therealong; means for attaching said mattress frame to said slide member; a pawl associated with said slide member and coactive with said catches for latching the slide member at diilerent positions; and a guard on said slide member and overlying said pawl, said guard member bridging the space between said track and guide member.

CHARLES E. WEBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,895,885 Kusterle Jan. 31, 1933 2,206,248 Bukolt July 2, 1940 2,234,261 Kroll et al. Mar. 11, 1941 2,380,812 Webb July 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,225 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1898 

